Rotary drilling



Nov. 2l, 1939.

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ROTARY DRILLING Filed July 3, 1937 v5 Sheets-Sheet 4 www@ INVENTOR WAL00 .S7/ 00N ATT RNEY A @N @NQ .www

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ROTARY DRILLING Filed July 5, 19557 5 Sheets-Sheet' 5 Patented Nov. 21,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcr;

10 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to rotary drilling operations.

Special objects of the invention are to provide the necessary power forhoisting, operation of 6 the pumps, the lesser required power butgreater exibility for operation of the rotary, for quick reversal of thedrawworks and of the rotary when needed and to effect operations such asindicated practically, eiciently and 10 safely. 1

Other important objects are to provide full power for all operations,while enabling economical use of such power and to apply the power in amanner to guard against twistoffs and l5 the like.

Further objects and the novel features of construction, combinations andr lations of parts constituting the invention will appear and are setforth in the following specification:

20 'I'he drawings accompanying and forming part of the specificationillustrate certain practical commercial embodiments of the invention,but it is to be understood that various modifications and changes may bemade, all within the true 2 intent and broad scope of the invention ashereinafter defined and claimed.

Fig. l is a broken plan and partly diagrammatic representation of anembodiment of the invention.

30 Fig. v2 is a broken side elevation as viewed at the left in Fig. l.

Figs. 2a and 2b are diagrammatic views of modified forms of drivingconnections.

Fig. 3 is a broken plan and partly sectional detail view of the specialcombination control at the drillers stand.

Fig. 4 is a broken part sectional side elevation of the controlmechanism.

Fig. 5 is a broken end elevation of the same.

L Fig. 6 is an enlarged broken sectional detail of one of the holdoutlatches as on substantially the plane of line 6-6 of Fig. 10.

Figs. 7, 8, 9, 10 and l1 are broken plan views illustrating differentpositions and conditions of 45 the control mechanism. Fig. 12 is abroken plan of the modified form of the invention.

In Figs. l and 2, the rotary is indicated at I5, mounted on the derrickfloor I6, and drawworks at one side of the derrick at I1, and the 0pumps at lys, ls.

For. the lighter work of driving the rotary, reversing the drawworks andthe like, a relatively low power exible drilling engine 20 is provided55 and for the heavy work of driving the pumps and (Cl. Z55- 19)hoisting, a heavy duty greater power engine 2|, is provided.

These engines may be mounted as shown in Fig. 2, the lighter engine 2l!Ibelow the derrick floor between the rotary and drawworks and the heavierengine 2l, to the outer `side of the drawworks below the level of thederrickiioor.

The drive of the rotary is eected by sprocket chain connections 22,extending from the shafting 23, of the smaller engine upwardly to thepinion shaft 24, of the rotary and the forward drive of the drawworks iseffected by sprocket chain connections 25, from the shafting 26, of thelarger engine to the jack shaft 21, of the drawworks.

Reverse drive of the drawworks is effected through sprocket chainconnections 28, from a reversely turning shaft 29, driven by the smallerdrilling engine to the jack shaft 21.

The mud pumps are shown as driven through more or less conventionalclutch controlled sprocket chain connections 30, from the pumping engineshafting 26.

Auxiliary equipment such as air compressor 3l, lighting generator 32 andwash-down pump 2 33, Fig. 1 are shown as driven indirectly from thepumping engine shafting through the medium of an auxiliary shaft 34,coupled to shafting 26, by sprocket connection 35. If desired,

a small auxiliary or starting engine may be mounted on the sub-base 36,carrying this auxiliary equipment, for operating the compressor forstarting purposes and other general uses.

The shaft 29 forming part of the drawworks reversing connections isshown as directly driven 5 from the drilling engine shafting 23, througha fset of reversing gears 31.

The reverse drive at 28 is controlled by clutch 45' 46, on the reverselyrotating shaft 29, operated by air cylinder 41, connected by piping 48,with remote control valve 49.

'I'he forward drive connections 25 for the 50 drawworks are controlledby clutch 5l), on the hoisting engine shafting operated by air cylingr5|, connected by piping 52, with control valve A clutch is indicated onthe jack shaft at 54, 56

for use when the reversing connections 26 are in service. This may be ahand operated clutch.

The drilling engine clutch control valve di, the rotary drive clutchcontrol valve 45, the reverse drive clutch control valve 49, and theforward drive or the hoisting clutch control valve 53, may be andpreferably are conveniently grouped for operation by the driller,substantially as indicated in Fig. 1 and a suitable interlock preferablyis provided to prevent accidental use of both forward and reverse drivesat the same time. In the present illustration, this interlock iscombined with the heavy duty engine control, as shown more particularlyin Figs. l, 3, 4 and 5, where 55 designates a hand wheel on a tubularshaft 56, rotating and sliding in bearings 51, and carrying spacedoppositely acting cam shoulders 58, 59, and engageable respectively withthe oppositely acting lever handles 66, 6|, of the forward drive controlvalve 53, and drilling engine clutch valve 4|, respectively. These twovalve control handles are shown as tensioned to their off or clutchopening positions by springs 62, 63; For locking them in the "on orclutch closed positions, these levers are shown as carrying springpressed plungers 64, Fig. 6, which when turned to shift the cross pins65, from holding-out notches 66, into notches 61, will drop intoappropriately placed seats 68. Similarly, if desired, these lockingplungers may be employed to secure the control levers in the "oif orclutch open positions by dropping the plungers, when the levers are' soshifted. into the off position seats or sockets 69.

Control of the heavy duty engine is effected from hand wheel 55, throughthe medium of a squared shaft 10, slidingly keyed in the slidingand'rotating hand wheel shaft 56, and carrying or connected with asprocket wheel 1|, over which a chain 12, is run to the throttle controlsprocket 13, Fig. 1.

OPERATION Hoz'sting.-With the heavy duty engine 2| turning in thedirection of the arrow, forward rotation of the drawworks is eiectedthrough the drive 25, under control of clutch 50, and operation of thelatter is controlled from hand wheel 55, through valve lever 60. In thehoisting position indicated in Fig. 3, the hand wheel is pushed all theway in to the limit permitted by engagement of stop collar 14, withbearing bracket 51, in which relation, cam shoulder 58, holds clutchcontrol lever 66, in the on position, with clutch 50 engageds The inwardposition of cam shoulder 59 at such time leaves the spring 63, free tohold the control lever 6I, for the drilling engine clutch 38, in theoff, clutch open position, all as diagrammatically represented in Fig.7. During hoisting operations, the valve 45 will have been turned as inFig. 1, to open the rotary drive clutch at 42,l and valve 49, be set toclose the reverse drive clutch 46.

To stop hoisting, the hand wheel is pulled out to the intermediateposition indicated in Figs. 3 and 8, permitting spring 62, to pull theclutch control lever 60, over into the olf position for effectingdisengagement of the forward drive clutch 50.

For reversing the drawworks, the hand wheel is pulled the full extent ofits outward movement as indicated in broken lines in Fig. 3 and fulllines in Fig. 9, to cause cam shoulder 59, to throw control lever 6|,into the on position for effecting engagement of the drilling engineclutch 38. Then with clutches 46 and 54, engaged, the

reverse drive at 28, will be made effective to reverse the drawworks andthrough the interlocking system described, this can only take place whenforward drive clutch 56, is disengaged. This relation of the parts isindicated in Fig. 1.

Drilling When rotating and pumping, the control mechanism may be set asin Fig. 10, with the hand wheel 55, at its inward limit holding clutchcontrol lever 60, in the on position with clutch 50 engaged for runningthe pumps, the drawworks clutches being out, and control lever 5i, beingsecured by latch plunger 64, in the on" position for holding thedrilling engine clutch 38, engaged, the valve 45, being positioned atthis time to effect engagement of the rotary drive clutch 42. Underthese conditions, the hand wheel may be pulled out at any time to theneutral position, Fig. 11, for throwing the clutch 50 to stop the pumps.latch pin 64, can be withdrawn to permit control lever 6I, to return tothe olf position for effecting disengagement of the drilling engineclutch 38.

Reversing rotary- Reversal of the rotary is effected from the heavy dutypumping and hoisting engine 2|, through forward drive connection 25, tothe jack shaft and back through the drawworks reversing drive 28,reverse gear set 21, and rotary drive connection 22. In such case, theforward drive clutch 50, is engaged and the clutches 54, 46 and 42 areclosed while clutch 38, at the drilling engine is open. For suchoperrations, the control mechanism may be in the position shown in Figs.3 and 7, holding the forward drive clutch 50, at the hoisting engine on,the clutch 38, at the drilling engine open and valves 45, 49, Fig. 1,turned to effect closing of the rotary drive clutch 42, and reverselyrunning clutch 46.

Fig. 2 shows by full line arrows how the forward drive connections 25,from the hoisting and pumping engine to the drawworks always run in thesame direction. 'Ihe broken line arrows at 22.and 28, indicate how thedrilling engine 20, can be used to turn the rotary forwardly and drivethe drawworks jack shaft reversely and the dotted line arrows at 28 and22 show how with the drilling engine clutch disconnected, the hoistingand pumping engine may drive through connections 25, 28, 31 and 22 toreverse the rotary.

Forward and reverse drive of the drawworks and rotary are thusaccomplished simply and directly without the use of reversing clutchesor the like and without reversing the engines. The smaller engine is ofsuilicient power to operate the rotary and to reverse the drawworks andis therefore economical for these purposes and can be of a flexible typefor turning the rotary and reversing the drawworks at different speeds`The hoisting and pumping engine on the other hand, can be of the heavyduty type, economical for its purposes of hoisting and operating thepumps. When desired, the power from this engine can be taken through theforward drive and reversing connections 25, 28, to back the rotary.Compressors, generators, auxiliary smaller pumps and other auxiliaries,such as indicated at 3|, 32, 33, Fig. l, are readily operated off theheavy duty engine shafting.

While it is preferred that the larger engine be of sufficient power tocarry the full hoisting and pumping loads, the construction disclosed Tostop the rotary, thev permits a ready compounding of the power of thetwo engines, orforward drive of the drawworks in an emergency, from thesmaller engine by substitution for drive chains 22 and 28, of a singledrive chain, such as indicated in Fig. 2a, from sprocket 16, on motorshafting 28, 25, to sprocket 11, on the jack shaft. Also in anemergency, the rotary may .readily be driven from the hoisting andpumping engine as by substituting for the two drive chains 22, 28, Fig.2, a single drive chain at 18, Fig. 2b, running from sprocket 11, on thejack shaft to sprocket 18, on the rotary pinion shaft 24.

While' usually practical to employ sprocket chains for the various driveconnections, other.

forms of drive connections may be employed.

'Ihe clutches may be of the frictional or of the positive jaw type orcombinations of both, such as indicated. Electrical, hydraulic,mechanical or other forms of control mechanism may be employed in placeof the pneumatic control system illustrated. Terms employed herein havetherefore been used in a descriptive rather than in a limiting sense,except possibly as limitations may be imposed by state of the prior art.

Fig. 12 illustrates possible modifications of the invention involvingprovision of a multiple speed gear box at 88, in place of the reversegear set at 31, Fig. 1, and a drive at '8|, from the shafting 82, of themain or heavy duty engine 2|, enabling the latter to accomplish alldriving functions.` This single engine form of drive has many advantagesand has now become practical with the proved reliability of present dayheavy duty Diesel engines.

The gear box 88 may include two, three or more speed changes and is hereshown in simpliied form involving parallel shafts 83, 84, carryingdifferent speed gear sets 85, 86, controlled by clutches 81, 88, andback-drive connecting gears 89. 'I'he jack shaft 84 turns the reverse ofshaft 83, and hence is used for the reverse drive 28, to the draw-worksjack shaft 21, and the forwardly rotating shaft 83, carries the forwarddrive 22 to the rotary.

In this particular disclosure, a light duty drilling 'engine 28 is showncoupled to the forward drive shaft 83, of the change speed gear set, butit will be appreciated that if a single engine drive is desired, thisdrilling engine may be omitted and the operation of the rotary beeffected from the main engine 2|, through sprocket 89a, on the mainengine shafting 82, drive chain 8|, and sprocket 90, on shaft 83, of thegear box, which latter will then serve for the different drive speeds ofthe rotary. 'I'he reversely turning shaft 84 of the gear box may then beused when required, to reverse the draw-works and by use of the gears ofdifferent speed ratios, the draw-works may be reversed at differentspeeds. As these are relatively light operations, the change speed gearbox will serve for all forward drive of the rotary and reverse drive ofthe draw-works. Clutches are indicated at 9|, 92, for control of thedrive from the main engine shafting 82, to the gear box. In the case ofa multiple engine hook-up, including both a drilling engine 28 andhoisting engine 2|, the drive connections at 8|, may be used for powercompounding purposes or as an emergency drive in case of break-down ofeither engine.

In place of a single heavy duty engine, so- Y v used conjointly orseparately, as desired. The

change speed gear box may be interposed directly between the rotary anddraw-works as indicated in Fig. 12, where straight line drives may berun from the forwardly turning shaft to the rotary and from thereversely rotating shaft to the draw-works.

` What is claimed is:

l. In rotary drilling, the combination of rotary and drawworks, arelatively low power non-reversible flexible engine for operating therotary and reversing the drawworks, a greater power heavy dutynon-reversible hoisting engine for forward drive of the drawworks andreverse rotation of the rotary, one way running rotary drive connectionsfrom the drilling engine to the rotary, one way running forward driveconnections from the hoisting engine to the drawworks, reversely runningone way drive connections from the drilling engine to the drawworks andmeans for selectively controlling said drive connections for driving therotary forwardly and the drawworks reversely from the drilling engineand for driving the drawworks forwardly and the rotary reversely fromthe hoisting engine.

2.l In rotary drilling, the combination with rotary vand drawworks, of arelatively low power flexible drilling engine and a relatively highheavy duty hoisting engine, clutch controlled forward drive connectionsfrom said hoisting engine to the jack shaft of the drawworks, clutchcontrolled drive connections from the drilling engine to the rotary, ashaft driven reversely from the .drilling engine and clutch controlledreverse drive connections from said reversely running shaft to the jackshaft of the drawworks.

3. In rotary drilling, the combination with rotary and drawworks, of arelatively low power flexible drilling engine and a relatively highheavy duty hoisting engine, clutch controlled forward drive connectionsfrom said hoisting engine to the jack shaft of the drawworks, clutchcontrolled drive connections from the drilling engine to the rotary, ashaft driven reversely from the drilling engine, clutch controlledreverse drive connections from said reversely running shaft to the jackshaft of the drawworks and control mechanism including interlockingmeans for preventing reverse drive of the drawworks from the drillingengine when the forward drive from the hoisting engine is in service.

4. In rotary drilling, the` combination with rotary and drawworks, ofseparate engines for hoisting and drilling, forward drive connectionsfrom said hoisting engine to the drawworks, forward drive connectionsfrom the drilling engine to the rotary, reversely running driveconnections from the drilling engine to the drawworks, means foreffecting the coupling and uncoupling of said drive connections,including interlocking means for preventing reverse drive of thedrawworks from the drilling engine when the forward drive from thehoisting engine is in service.

5. In rotary drilling, the combination with rotary and drawworks, ofseparate engines for drilling and hoisting, forward drive connectionsfrom the drilling engine to the rotary and the reverse drivingconnection from the drilling engine to the drawworks, forward driveconnections from the hoisting engine to the drawworks, means forenabling the use of said reverse driving connections and said rotarydrive connections for effecting reverse drive of the rotary from saidforward drive connections from the hoisting engine and control mechanismincluding interlocking means for preventing reverse drive of thedrawworks when the forward drive is in service and for preventingforward drive of the rotary when said reverse driving connection androtary forward drive connections are in service with the drawworksforward drive for reversing the rotary.

6. In combination with a rotary and drawworks, a light duty, flexiblenon-reversible drilling engine, one way running forward driveconnections from said drilling engine to said rotary, a heavy dutynon-reversible hoisting and pumping engine, one way running forwarddrive connections from said heavy duty hoisting engine to saiddrawworks, one way running reverse driving connections from said lightduty drilling engine to said drawworks and means for effecting reversedrive of the rotary from said heavy duty hoisting engine through saidforward drive drawworks connections and reverse drive connections andindependently of said light duty engine and for effecting reverse driveof the drawworks from said light duty engine through said reversedriving connections independently of said heavy duty hoisting engine.

7. In combination with a rotary and drawworks, a change speed gear sethaving geared together forwardly and reversely rotating "shafts, forwarddrive connections from the forwardly turning shaft of said change speedgear set to said rotary, reverse drive connections from said reverselyturning shaft to said drawworks, power means for driving one of saidshafts of said change speed gear set, said change speed gear setincluding means for effecting different changes in speed of the saiddrive connections and clutch means for enabling selection of drive fromsaid change speed gear set to either the rotary or the drawworks. l

8. In combination with a rotary and drawworks, a change speed gear vsetinterposed between said rotary and drawworks and including forwardly andreversely rotating shafts, drive connections from said forwardlyrotating shaft to said rotary, reverse drive connections from saidreversely rotating shaft to said drawworks. power means for driving oneof said shafts and includ-- ing an engine, forward drive connectionsfrom said engine to said drawworks and forward drive connections fromsaid engine to said forwardly rotating shaft of said change speed gearset.

9. In combination with a rotary and drawworks, engines in back-to-backrelation, clutches controlling use of either or both, forward driveconnections from said engines to said drawworks, geared together shaftsturning in opposite directions, drive connections from said engines toone of said shafts and drive connections from said shafts to said rotaryand drawworks respectively.

10. In combination with a rotary and drawworks,/ a change speed gear setinterposed between said rotary and drawworks and including reverselyrotating shafts geared together and one connected to drive the rotary ina forward direction and the other connected to drive the drawworks inreverse direction, an engine, forward drive connections from said engineto said drawworks and connections from said engine to one of the shaftsof said change speed gear set for effecting drive of the rotary inreverse direction.

WALDO SHELDON.

